Spartak Moscow defender Dmitri Kombarov threw all conventional logic out of the window in renting a lion for his five-year-old daughter.

Admittedly it was only a cub and Kombarov's daughter Ulyana was able to pose for snaps on social media playing happily with the little big cat.

Kombarov said on Instagram: "My beloved daughter, today is your fifth anniversary. Your motherand I love you more than life."
The renting of big cats has become a status symbol for the Russian elite, with the going rate to hire them for parties is about 10,000 RUB (£139) for an hour.

But Kombarov's gesture has drawn criticism on social media with people suggesting that the cub looked like it had been drugged.